<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>A Clear Knight: A Host of Rose-Red Passion and Vampire Hunting by cthchewy, GlitterNyappyGacktRose</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25805416">A Clear Knight: A Host of Rose-Red Passion and Vampire Hunting</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/cthchewy/pseuds/cthchewy'>cthchewy</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlitterNyappyGacktRose/pseuds/GlitterNyappyGacktRose'>GlitterNyappyGacktRose</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>DRAMAtical Murder - All Media Types, 悪魔城ドラキュラ | Castlevania Series, 悪魔城ドラキュラ 暁月の円舞曲 と 蒼月の十字架 | Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow &amp; Dawn of Sorrow</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Boys In Love, Crack Crossover, Eastern European Metal, Host Clubs, M/M, Tokyo (City), Vampire Cult, Vampires, Weird Plot Shit, Weirdness</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 10:55:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,813</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25805416</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/cthchewy/pseuds/cthchewy, https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlitterNyappyGacktRose/pseuds/GlitterNyappyGacktRose</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Soma Cruz has thought that life couldn’t get any worse. First, Arikado “Avocado” Genya arrives and starts stealing his customers at the host club. And it isn’t long before he starts getting involved in his personal life. Meanwhile, Alucard is trying to stop Dracula from resurrecting, but he struggles to put his sexual desires aside...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alucard | Adrian Tepes | Arikado Genya (Castlevania)/Clear (Dramatical Murder)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The train going north from Bucharest rolled through the snowy hills of the Romanian countryside, rocking gently and rhythmically. It was evening on Christmas Eve, and the cars weren’t quite packed. At this time the passengers were mostly young tourists or people rushing back to their hometowns last-minute. It was snowing, and the view of the winter landscape rushing by had darkened hours ago. Not much could be made out through the windows, and they certainly couldn’t see the <em>extra</em> passenger who laid on top of the train.</p>
<p>As the train approached the station, this mysterious figure got up into a crouch. He was dressed all in black, in a tight leather catsuit that left very little to the imagination. His face, too, was entirely covered with a gas mask. The lenses of it were thick and opaque, lending him an inscrutable bug-like or alien appearance.</p>
<p>Agent αR-2E-054 was on a retrieval mission. He had just arrived at the target destination and leapt smoothly off the train and into the shadows. Sighişoara was a small city dating back to at least the 12<sup>th</sup> century. It was built around the remains of a walled fortress on a hill, and that central part of town was still filled with narrow, winding, cobblestone streets. Perfect for stealth.</p>
<p>He sped through the lower town and leapt up, inhumanly high, past the medieval fortress walls and into the old town. The plaza here was bustling with festive activity. All the historic buildings were draped in lights. There was a Christmas market on, with seasonal treats and gifts being sold even at this late hour. Though it was beginning to wind down, there were still stalls full of savory snacks as well as sweet breads, cakes, and pastries of all kinds.</p>
<p>Hidden in the shadows, the agent cocked his head to the side, listening, honing in on his target through all the noise around him. He glanced up at the Clock Tower that sat on the highest point of the hill. His target was <em>there</em>.</p>
<p>But first, donuts. The papanași, donuts made with soft cheese and drizzled with tangy sour cream and blueberry or cherry jam, were said to be a regional specialty, and he really wanted to try them.</p>
<p>In the moment that the kindly baker looked away to wrap another customer’s sweet bread, all her remaining papanași disappeared, replaced by a thick wad of cash.</p>
<p>Then up he went, leaping across the buildings around the marketplace, past the bust of Dracula, past the gothic church on the hill, and even higher. The history museum at the base of the tower was closed for the night. It was quiet here. No one was around to see this black-clad figure scale the walls with a box of donuts in hand. The gas mask wiggled as he chewed.</p>
<p>As he went up, he began to see graffiti. Occult symbols, freshly painted. He swung his legs over the railing of the observation gallery that ringed the top of the tower. There were runes drawn all around this area, and it smelled like… blood.</p>
<p>“Rise… rise… rise…” A droning chorus of voices came from the room in the center. Flickering candles were visible in the windows, and the glass, too, was smeared with bloody handprints. Carefully creeping around to the doorway, he spied five robed figures standing at the points of a large pentagram.</p>
<p>In the center was their bloody offering – a goat, eviscerated, entrails spilling out in long macabre trails. And in the belly of the goat, writhing in its guts, was placed a wailing newborn babe.</p>
<p>Target located.</p>
<p>Commence extraction sequence.</p>
<p>αR-2E-054 popped open the trunk of his gas mask and sucked in the rest of the donuts. The mask wiggled with his chewing as he pulled out his gun. It was loaded with special rounds made of silver and oak wood, soaked in holy water and blessed by a priest, a rabbi, an imam, several witch doctors, and a near-immortal Buddhist monk who had been continuously meditating in a cavern behind a waterfall since at least the 16<sup>th</sup> century.</p>
<p>He shot the first and second through the back in quick succession. As they fell, the third and fourth launched themselves at him, baring their fangs in a hiss. They were vampires, yes, but newly turned. Still weak.</p>
<p>He flung the sticky donut box as a distraction, ducked under their slashing claws and fired upwards through their rib cages. Then only one remained.</p>
<p>The leader of the cult snatched the babe and held a dagger to his throat. “Get back!” she screeched. “Lord Dracula has been reborn in a prison of flesh! The child must die to free his soul and restore order to the world!”</p>
<p>“Sorry,” he said. The sound was muffled because of the mask, and also because he was still eating under it. “I know villain monologues are mandatory, but I’m on a schedule.”</p>
<p>Her continued screeching was abruptly cut off by a vial of holy water smashing against her face. Her hands flew up, dropping the hostage. In the next moment, with pinpoint precision, the vampire hunter fired his one last bullet through her heart and dove for the child.</p>
<p>The vampires turned to ashes. All that remained of them were their robes.</p>
<p>The babe had fallen silent, asleep with tear tracks still running down his chubby cheeks.</p>
<p>On Christmas day, in the town where Dracula was said to have been born, good citizens would notice that their beloved Clock Tower had been defaced. Upon investigation they would find the remains of some disgusting goat sacrifice, perhaps a demon summoning ritual. And, oddly enough, some sticky trails of sour cream and jam among all the blood.</p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>Two days prior:</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Some people (a lot of people) said that it was a bad idea for a tattoo parlor to also be a full liquor bar.  Mizuki didn’t think so, however.  As he was the owner of said establishment, and also because he had much more experience being a functional member of society, Clear didn’t question him when he explained.</p>
<p>“Black Needle is the sort of Midorijima-style trashy that tourists come for,” Mizuki said to the health inspector after getting side-eyed for an entire half hour while the young woman meticulously examined the cleanliness of the tattoo and piercing equipment.</p>
<p>“Uh <em>huh</em>.  Do you also serve food?”  She squinted once more at the framed liquor license hanging above the cash register.  “Because if you do,  I’ll have to call <em>those</em> guys in.  New government regulations, I’m sure you understand.”</p>
<p>“Nah, just alcohol.  That way I always have antiseptic on hand.”  Mizuki winked.  The mint green teardrop tattoo below his eye shimmered in the dim lighting.</p>
<p>Clear stood motionlessly behind the bar and smiled through this exchange.  He didn’t say anything since he was just a bartender.  Also, he’d spent his early years very isolated, and he’d been told that more exposure to “the average man, the salt of the earth” was the only way to fix his socialization problems.  Thus, shady back-alley employment from a friend of a friend. </p>
<p>Deep in his mind, however, Clear had the nagging feeling that Midorijima-style trashy was perhaps the opposite of “the average man”.  Having any government regulations at all was a new thing for most of Midorijima.  They had, at one point, been essentially ruled by TOUE Inc., an evil theme park overlord.  The concept of a business being accountable for its customers’ bad experiences was very novel for the islanders, but according to Google it was normal pretty much everywhere else.</p>
<p>He did not say this.</p>
<p>The health inspector left, and Mizuki stretched his arms overhead, yawning widely.  “Ah, man, I’m beat.  Gonna get lunch at the Thai place, you wanna come?”</p>
<p>Clear shook his head.  “I would love to, but I have been invited for tea and cake with Yoshie-san.”</p>
<p>Yoshie-san was what the young men who frequented Black Needle called a “cougar”.  Learning to navigate interactions with cougars was apparently also necessary to his proper socialization, or so they said. </p>
<p>…It was also possible that the friends-of-a-friend-of-a-friend were pranking him, but Yoshie-san was nice and had cake, so it didn’t really matter.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>–</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Order of Ecclesia was an independent organization of magicians and scholars founded in the 19<sup>th</sup> century with the goal of destroying Dracula’s soul and preventing his return.  Its founding members broke away from the Church over bureaucratic issues, and while they had never been against working with Church-affiliated agents, maintaining a certain professional distance had always been important for them.  Being independent made it much easier to operate in the shadows where Dracula’s minions lurked, and in recent years this system was effective enough that they had been able to open various branches across the globe.</p>
<p>On Midorijima, a small island to the south of mainland Japan, the local branch of the Order was based out of a nondescript courier shop: Delivery Works.  Absolutely nothing stood out about the place except perhaps a small sign that said, “Recruiting YOUNG men only!”</p>
<p>There was only ever one woman behind the counter at Delivery Works, and she went only by Yoshie, no family name.  Yoshie was definitely not a witch who definitely had not been sent to monitor Toue Tatsuo, who definitely wasn’t a rogue ex-member of the Order turned corporatist scumbag who started a biotech-company-masquerading-as-a-theme-park on Midorijima trying to re-create Dracula’s soul domination powers in the lab.  It wouldn’t be the first time a scholar from the Order turned their research toward evil means, but this was not such a case.  Certainly not!  Yoshie would have made a very bad spy.  She was, after all, just a very normal older woman with very normal interests such as gossiping, TV dramas, and ogling handsome young men.</p>
<p>The young man who joined her for tea this afternoon was very handsome indeed.  Perhaps <em>too</em> handsome.  His skin was perfectly smooth, and his features were perfectly symmetrical except for the two beauty marks under one side of his lips.  This young man was Clear, the poorly socialized friend of a friend.</p>
<p>The poor dear hadn’t been allowed to leave his home until his grandfather passed away.  He could barely function in society even now.  Yoshie heard Clear’s friends had to stage an intervention to get him to leave his old home where everything was covered in layers of dust, and where he had been hoarding glass bottles and shiny marbles like a magpie.  Why, it had only been a few months since he stopped wearing a gas mask and carrying an umbrella with him wherever he went.  Despite having made many fashionable acquaintances, everything he wore was still two sizes too big and at least twenty years out of date, like he’d stolen the wardrobe of a thrift store mannequin from the least chic part of town.  What a strange lad! </p>
<p>Case in point, Clear was currently munching happily on an entire slice of strawberry shortcake, which he had inhaled all at once like a vacuum.  There was a bit of whipped cream on his cheek that he hadn’t noticed since he was so engrossed in Yoshie’s explanation of the finer points of the TV drama they were watching.  She assigned it to him as last week’s “social studies homework”.</p>
<p>“Vampires!” Yoshie exclaimed.  “Why do people find them sexy?  Have you figured it out yet?”</p>
<p>“Because… Oh, sorry.”  Clear paused, remembering to swallow his cake before speaking again.  “Because danger is sexy?”</p>
<p>“Yes, yes!  And?”</p>
<p>“And because it’s forbidden, and forbidden things are sexy?”</p>
<p>“Yes, <em>aaaaaaand</em>?”</p>
<p>“Er, there’s more?”</p>
<p>“Yes!”  Yoshie grabbed his shoulders in excitement.  “There’s more!  Think, my boy.  What place could an immortal creature have in such a fast-paced society as ours?  They are forever youthful, forever being left behind.”  She clutched her hands to her bosom.  “Ooooh, the tragedy!”</p>
<p>“They must be terribly lonely,” Clear agreed.  “I don’t think it excuses Blad’s behavior in the latest episode, but I’m beginning to understand him.  I also thought I would be alone forever after my grandfather passed away.”</p>
<p>Clear was making a lot of progress.  This pleased Yoshie very much because such a pure soul was meant for greater things.  It would be a shame if Clear were to languish on an obscure little island with its proudly trashy inhabitants for the rest of his hopefully very long life.</p>
<p>It was then that the noon bell rang, its sound carrying down into the shops from the school on the hill.  Clear’s expression froze.  In fact, his whole body stilled and even his breathing stopped.  He appeared utterly lifeless in that moment, like a doll carved in the image of human perfection.</p>
<p>It was noon in Midorijima, somewhere off the southern coast of Japan.  Halfway across the globe, exactly six time zones away, it was dawn in Romania.  A baby boy had just been born there on the morning of December 22<sup>nd</sup>, the day after winter solstice.  He would herald the coming of a new age, an end to the darkest night.</p>
<p>“I hear it,” Clear said after the bell’s echoes faded away, “a voice like Ao-, like m-my master.  I’m meant to serve him, but he’s so far away.”</p>
<p>To anyone else he would be blabbering nonsense, but Yoshie understood.  Her <em>associates</em> had been predicting the coming of The Dawn for some time now, and some had even guessed this prophesized figure could be Aoba, Clear’s friend with whom he had a very strange one-sided(?) non-sexual(?) slave-master dynamic.</p>
<p>Aoba was a bit strange as well, but most people put it down to him being a designer baby.  He certainly wasn’t a magical and genetic abomination with prototype soul domination powers imbued into his voice by Toue as part of his artificial Dracula project.</p>
<p>Okay, he <em>was</em>, but it was mostly under control.</p>
<p>Yoshie tilted her reading glasses down to create the perfect dramatic glint.  “It’s as we feared.  Dracula’s soul has returned to the mortal plane.”</p>
<p>Clear cocked his head to the side and asked, “What?”</p>
<p>Yoshie smiled.  “I have a mission for you, should you choose to accept.  It’s for the greater good.  Your true master will need to be guided on the right path in order to protect your friends and all the innocents of the world.”</p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>Eighteen years later:</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Soma Cruz was a normal teenager, though cooler than most.  Like any normal teenager, he thought parental figures were out of touch and annoying. </p>
<p>His best friend Mina’s parents, for example, wouldn’t let her wear anything cool just because she had to work at the family shrine on festivals and weekends.  They acted like they would lose face if anyone discovered the local shrine maiden exposed a shoulder while out shopping with friends.  Poor Mina had to buy unripped jeans and cut them up herself, then hide the evidence in Soma’s bag.</p>
<p>Thankfully Soma’s home situation was the opposite of conservative, so he was allowed to wear any sort of fashion he wanted.  He was, however, raised by an overly-involved, too permissive, weird hippie nudist homemaker single father who was out to embarrass him at every turn.  His dad got hit on by all the single teachers during PTA meetings, which he attended religiously.  Any time they had guests over, the baby pictures came out.  Worst of all, Soma had to go to school every day with a cutesy homemade bento that had things like panda-shaped rice balls or veggies cut into hearts and stars.  It was hell.</p>
<p>Being at home all the time was stifling, so Soma went looking for a part-time job as soon as he turned eighteen.  None of that burger flipping bullshit, either.  He got dolled up in his best – fur-lined jacket, skinny jeans, and black Flesh Castle band shirt.  The band’s gothic logo looked like a pile of sticks.  That’s how you knew it was seriously metal.</p>
<p>Looking hot and metal as fuck, he stalked the streets of the entertainment districts at night, looking for a club or concert venue that was hiring.  Being scouted by a host club wasn’t what he expected, but it paid well and all he had to do was flirt and serve drinks to ladies who gave him lots of compliments.</p>
<p>Soma’s exotic features, which he had been teased for in elementary school, now became a selling point.  He quickly rose up the ranks and, partly also because of his youth, became the most requested host of ladies over 40.  They liked to pinch his cheeks and pretend he was their naughty nephew.</p>
<p>He also tried to rile up his dad with the knowledge that he spent his nights whispering amorous things to horny older women, but all his dad did was nod and say, “It’s a rite of passage”.  Like what is that supposed to mean?  What sort of hippie commune did you come from, dad?!</p>
<p>Ugh.</p>
<p>Regardless, this was his life now.  Student by day, host by night.</p>
<p>One evening, a week before Mina’s eighteenth birthday, Soma was texting her about coming down to the club, Glitter Rose (Tagline: <em>Where All Maidens Shine</em>), to celebrate her big day with sexy guys and virgin cocktails.  “You can bring your cousin Yoko,” he said, because Yoko Belnades was seriously smokin’ for an older woman.  “Your parents will let you stay past curfew if she’s with you.”</p>
<p>That was his last text before he slipped his phone into his pocket.  The club was about to open.  All the hosts were ready, and a few regular customers were already chatting outside. </p>
<p>It was then that the manager walked in with a stranger behind him.  He introduced him as Arikado Genya, a new host.</p>
<p>“Bonsoir,” said Ari-what’s-his-face in perfect French.  He was already turning on the charm even without any ladies in the room.  His voice was smooth and warm like whiskey or some such bullshit, and he had silky long black hair that did absolutely nothing to hide his obvious European ancestry.    Soma was immediately annoyed.  Sexy foreigner was <em>his</em> shtick.</p>
<p>The doors to the club opened.  The line of waiting women entered, and these first customers of the night were met with Glitter Rose’s signature greeting.  The hosts, all lined up on either side of the long  rose-patterned rug that led into the intimate seating areas, bowed and spoke in unison.  “Welcome to our garden, sweet roses.”</p>
<p>The rose garden theme continued further in.  There were fake rose bushes everywhere, and fake ivy draped across the bar and hanging from the faux-crystal chandeliers.  The drinks and snacks they served were marketed as “elixirs to bring out a rose’s inner shine”.  That was a really nice way of saying fertilizer, probably. </p>
<p>In fact, Glitter Rose took its theme so seriously that the only décor that didn’t fit was the leopard-print carpet that Soma had been told was a remnant of the previous business that used to occupy this building.  (It had been an experimental hybrid host club and cat cafe called Cougar Paradise, and no one had been surprised when it failed.)</p>
<p>As they invited the ladies-- er, <em>roses</em> into the seating areas, Alleycatto moved next to Soma.  What the fuck was he playing at?</p>
<p>Soma muttered under his breath, “Look, noob, if you’re looking to shadow someone on your first day, try the old-timers over there.”  He tilted his chin toward some stodgy butler-type hosts a few tables away.</p>
<p>Arigato smiled and made bedroom eyes at him.  “I’m sure I could learn a lot from you as well.  Variety is the spice of life, after all.”</p>
<p>The older women who were Soma’s regulars arrived at that moment.  They caught the tail-end of this exchange and squealed.  Instead of inviting Soma to join them as usual, they latched onto the new face and began to fawn all over him.  That opportunistic <em>fucker</em>.  He probably marked Soma out as the easiest target because he was the youngest.</p>
<p>For the first time since he started working here, Soma hadn’t been invited to join the first wave of customers.  He was left to to wait with the B-tier hosts and then had to entertain a couple of chain-smoking grannies who gave him twice the amount of cheek pinches he usually allowed.</p>
<p>Avocado was a customer-sniping asshole.  As soon as his shift was over, Soma flipped him off.</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Heheheh Glitter Rose... that’s almost as tacky as my username!<br/>-GlitterNyappyGacktRose</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Despite Soma’s blatant display of his strong dislike towards Alucard, he seemed completely oblivious when Alucard began to tail him after work. With a somewhat-subtle angry stare, followed by a much more in-your-face display of his middle finger, Soma stomped across the leopard-print carpet and out the front door of the host club. Alucard gave him about thirty seconds before he bid farewell to the older ladies who’d taken such a shine to him and scurried out into the streets of Ikebukuro after him. He instantly spotted Soma in the distance, his white hair and fluffy jacket setting him apart from the sea of salarymen. Soma was completely distracted by his phone, perhaps complaining about his new co-worker <em>Avacado </em>on <em>Twitter</em>. Yoko had previously sat him down and explained modern technology to him several times, but he still couldn’t completely wrap his head around it. In fact, just the thought of throwing your complaints and comments into a void where anyone could read it made his head spin.</p><p> </p><p>Although technology was not Alucard’s strong point, following Soma hadn’t been difficult. Despite his new appearance as Arikado Genya, Alucard was still able to use his vampire abilities, easily flitting out of side if he sensed Soma’s eyes wandering towards him. Not that it seemed that he’d noticed him: he seemed quite preoccupied by his phone, blissfully unaware that Alucard was following him. Although that didn’t mean that Alucard could afford to drop his guard: He could sense the dull ebb of Dracula’s powers increase day by day. He could never be too careful.</p><p> </p><p>The journey to Soma’s house had been quite eventful. Although Alucard was slowly beginning to grow accustomed to the sheer size of Tokyo, the hustling and bustling of Ikebukuro station had made his head spin. Unnoticed by the crowd, he transformed into a bat and followed Soma from above. This turned out to be a good choice, as the train Soma rushed onto was so full that the people were squished together like sardines in a can. In fact, had he been in his humanoid form, they literally would’ve ended up face to face, as Soma had crammed himself inside the carriage at the last minute, securing a position by the door. Meanwhile, Alucard happily flapped up onto the luggage compartment, resting his wings as he cooled himself under the air conditioning. He was almost disappointed when Soma reached his stop: normally the sun had little effect on him, but the unforgiving Japanese summer was really starting to take its toll. Once they’d left the station, Alucard transformed back, continuing to operate his sneaky vampire stealth mode once more.</p><p> </p><p>Eventually, Alucard found himself in front of a towering apartment complex. To his delight, Soma unlocked a front door on the ground floor and entered, not even glancing backwards. Not that Soma would have noticed him, as he’d already taken up a secure hiding place in the bushes. Step one of the plan had been completed: he had successfully located the location of Soma's residence. Now it was time for step two: observing Soma and getting an idea just how much power Dracula's spirit held over him. Alucard spotted that the window was just slightly cracked open, the perfect size for a bat to slip through. But just before he could transform, something stopped him: a strange smell. No, strange was not the correct word. The smell seemed familiar, but Alucard couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was. Silently, he crept out of the buses and inched towards the window, the smell growing more powerful with each step… tomatoes… something sour… Alucard stopped in his tracks when he realised what it was: cabbage rolls. Someone was cooking cabbage rolls, and they smelled just like the ones his mother used to make when he was a child.</p><p> </p><p>Unable to contain his curiosity, Alucard got just close enough to the window that he could peer inside. At first glance, he thought he’d spotted Soma and nearly jumped out of his skin. However, upon closer inspection, he discovered that he was in fact looking at a different man, a young white-haired man who was preparing the cabbage rolls, along with other dishes. Soma’s father perhaps? But no, that couldn’t be possible. The man appeared far too young. Perhaps they were brothers? Alucard had to supress a giggle at the thought: the man gave off such calm and loving vibes the way he gently stirred the pots and carefully chopped the ingredients: he was the complete opposite of Soma, who came across as rash and borderline reckless from the get go. Alucard couldn’t believe the sheer amount of food this man was preparing. He hadn’t seen this much food since… since… well, since he was a child, which was several centuries ago.</p><p> </p><p>As Alucard stared at the man, he couldn’t help but be reminded of his mother, who took time from her busy schedule to prepare the most delicious meals for the family. Even his father, who had previously viewed eating as an unnecessarily indulgence, had eagerly dug into her meticulously prepared meals. But since his mother’s death, Alucard hadn’t sat down for a family dinner. In fact, the last time he’d encountered his father had been when he’d driven a stake through his heart. So long had passed since he’d been with his family that those feelings and memories had been completely buried. That was, until the sight of the man lovingly cooking and the overwhelming smell of food from his childhood had forced them to the surface. Alucard couldn’t help himself: his eyes watering, he tiptoed closer to the window, eager to take in all the details as his initial plan was gradually shoved to the side. If only he could just get a closer look…</p><p> </p><p>Clatter. As the man chopped up some tomatoes, his elbow nudged a mixing bowl, knocking it to the ground. And as the man turned to pick it up, his eyes locked with Alucard’s. A slightly surprised expression flashed across his face, and he opened his mouth as though he intended to speak. Instantly, Alucard was brought to his senses. Faster than any human could move, he practically teleported back to his spot in the bushes. Over the sound of his panicked breathing, he could hear frenzied footsteps from inside the apartment, followed by the sound of the door being thrown open.</p><p> </p><p>“Wait!” cried out the man. “You don’t have to leave! You’re a friend of Soma’s, aren’t you? Dinner is almost ready, and we’d be delighted to have you over!”</p><p> </p><p>Alucard swore under his breath. The man had called out in a very loud, enthusiastic voice, practically loud enough to disturb the entire apartment complex. There was no doubt that Soma had heard. It was apparent that the original plan had been ruined. From this point on, it was damage control. With a sigh, Alucard stepped out of the bushes. Upon sight of him, the man’s face split into a huge grin.</p><p> </p><p>“Wow, you’re much more well put together than most the people I spot Soma with!” he beamed, brushing a leaf out of Alucard’s long dark hair. “What’s your name?”</p><p> </p><p>“Adrian.”</p><p> </p><p>“Adrian? That’s a lovely name. Why don’t you come on in?”</p><p> </p><p>The man turned away, eager to get back to the kitchen. Alucard, however, remained rooted to the spot. <em>Adrian</em>. Literal centuries had passed since the last time someone had called him by his true name. In fact, he hadn’t been referred to as “Adrian” since his mother had spoken to him last. And just hearing his true name being uttered so calmly shook him, stirring up emotions he’d thought he’d buried. As he felt his eyes water, the man came to a stop, one foot already inside the door. He spun around, looking a bit flustered.</p><p> </p><p>“Ah, I forgot to introduce myself! I’m Clear, Soma’s dad, if you can believe- Hey, are you alright?”</p><p> </p><p>The man’s cheerful expression morphed into one of concern as he spotted the tears streaming down Alucard’s face. Before Alucard could come up with some excuse, he was pulled into the kitchen, pushed into a comfortable chair and handed a cup of hot chocolate along with several beautifully decorated doughnuts (<em>“Don’t tell Soma, he’s never allowed to snack before meals!”</em>). And as Alucard sipped his drink, listening to the man- Clear- who was telling him to<em> let it all out</em>, he couldn’t help but let his mind wander. Did Clear say that he was Soma’s father? There was no way that could be possible: Clear looked just as young as Soma did. That is, unless there was more to Clear than met the eye…</p><p> </p><p>“Dad, is food almost ready? I’m… what’s Avocado doing here?!?”</p><p> </p><p>Alucard almost dropped the mug in surprise as Soma burst through the kitchen door. Clear, also caught of guard by his sudden appearance, put down the bowl he was loading rice into to speak to him directly.</p><p> </p><p>“Now, Soma, remember our discussion about indoor voices? And besides, you shouldn’t call your friends names. You should be calling him Adri-“</p><p> </p><p>“Arikado Genya,” Alucard cut across, leaping up from his chair. “Please call me Arikado Genya, like I asked you to do so at work earlier.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, so that’s how you know Soma!” beamed Clear. However, once Soma began rooting in the fridge, he gave Alucard a significant look, seemingly understanding that he should keep the name Adrian to himself.</p><p> </p><p>Dinner was mostly eaten in silence. Soma practically wolfed his food down, only taking a few seconds here and there to shoot Alucard filthy looks. Once he’d finished, he threw his bowl onto the table and stormed out, the idea of helping to clean up not even crossing his mind.</p><p> </p><p>“He didn’t even touch the cabbage rolls,” sighed Clear, picking one up with his chopsticks and taking a bite. “I’ve been trying to include more Romanian food in our meals for Soma. I can’t guarantee it, but all signs seemed to point to him being Romanian the day I found him as a baby. So, I’m doing the best I can to try help him rediscover his roots… Adri- Arika- Avocado, are you ok?”</p><p> </p><p>Across the table from Clear, Alucard had just sampled the cabbage rolls. And the instant he’d bitten through the sour exterior, the flavours that poured into his mouth filled him emotions he thought he’d long buried. Was this the first time he’d had a family meal since the 1400s? Had over half a millennium seriously passed since he’d felt the safety and warmth of a family environment? How he longed to feel the warmth of his mother’s embrace as she wrapped her arms around him, her hand gently caressing his head as she whispered that everything would be ok… But wait, he could feel her arms around him once more, the warmth of a hug…?</p><p> </p><p>Alucard blinked several times, his vision blurry with tears, only to realise that Clear had wandered over to him and pulled him into a hug. How long had passed since someone had held him so close with such sincerity…?</p><p> </p><p>“Adrian,” whispered Clear, his delicate breath tickling his ears. “It is Adrian, isn’t it? Please, don’t be shy. You can tell me what’s bothering you. And when you’re finished, I’ll run a nice hot bath for you. Then, I’ll get the sleeping bag from the closet and you can stay in Soma’s room. There’s no way I’m allowing a young attractive man like you to wander the streets this late at night. You’ll be much safer here. So please, tell me what’s bothering you.”</p><p> </p><p>The entire purpose of Alucard taking on the alias “Arikado Genya” and disguising his appearance was to hide the fact that he was Alucard Adrian Tepes, the son of Dracula. And yet, the warmth of Clear’s embrace made him feel so safe and secure that he couldn’t help but open up to him. Naturally, he kept the most important details secret. However, he did share with Clear his real name, as well as how his cooking reminded him of his mother’s cooking from his childhood in Wallachia, (while hiding the fact that it’d been centuries since he’d tried it). Clear listened to his every word, reacting in the correct way at every moment. When Alucard mentioned where he was from, Clear’s face split into a huge grin.</p><p> </p><p>“Wait, you’re from Romania?” he beamed. “That’s fantastic! Soma has been attending Romanian language lessons since he was little. Perhaps you could help him practice? I’m sure he’d learn to appreciate it!”</p><p> </p><p>Alucard nodded weakly. He wanted to point out that perhaps his knowledge of Romanian was so outdated that perhaps no-one alive would fully understand him. However, he didn’t want to do anything to destroy the smile on this beautiful, caring man’s face. Clear practically jumped for joy when Alucard agreed, and rushed off to tell Soma. Meanwhile, Alucard took his time composing himself, pacing around the kitchen to try and regain control of his emotions. He couldn’t help but notice the photos that covered the fridge: Clear, looking no different from how he did today, with a four or five year old Soma at Disneyland, Soma scowling in his junior high school uniform as Clear beamed with pride, the pair of them at the zoo, in Kyoto…</p><p> </p><p>But before Alucard could explore further, his ears were suddenly assaulted with loud screaming and scrambled noise. As he covered his ears, he came to realise that what he was hearing was <em>music</em>. Over the centuries, music had evolved and changed rapidly. However, this type of music with angry growls as vocals and screeching guitars that sounded like fighting cats was new to him. The source of the music seemed to be Soma’s room. Filled with curiosity, Alucard wandered out of the kitchen. But before he could reach the door, he stopped in his tracks as his eyes focused on Clear’s perfectly round and perky ass, completely exposed and naked as he leaned over the bathtub. Alucard stared and stared until Clear eventually noticed him, turning around to greet him wearing nothing but a frilly pink apron.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, Adrian! Sorry about the noise! Recently, Soma has become obsessed with eastern European death metal. Actually, he’s quite upset with me since I still can’t tell the difference between <em>Dragged into the Sunlight</em> and <em>Stake My Heart, Cut Off My Head and Fill My Neck With Garlic</em>. Are you a fan of either of them?”</p><p> </p><p>Eastern European? Alucard listened intently, trying to see if he could pick out any words he knew. However, all he could hear were angry screams of hate. Clear laughed when he caught sight of his expression.</p><p> </p><p>“Not to worry, it’s not really my cup of tea either! Anyway, Soma seems pretty upset. You’ll have to forgive me, but I don’t think he’s willing to share his room with you. However, I’m perfectly happy to let you share with me!”</p><p> </p><p>“I-“ began Alucard, but he froze up as his eyes wandered downwards. The frilly pink apron left little to the imagination. Alucard had been so caught up in the image of Clear’s perfect ass that he’d initially failed to notice the massive outline of his shlong. Alucard’s eyes widened as he realised that even though Clear was flaccid, his dick was far bigger than any dick he had ever encountered. Feeling his cheeks burn, Alucard looked away, unable to meet Clear’s eye.</p><p> </p><p>“Sure, if you’re willing to let me, I’ll happily stay in your room.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“Fuck!” screamed Alucard, his fingers tightly clenching the sheets. He’d sat on many dicks over the centuries. But none of them were comparable to Clear in terms of length and girth. He was used to pain, but the sudden thrust from a manhood so massive made him lose control. He quickly bit his lip, angry at himself. He’d started the evening with the intention of silently and stealthily tailing Soma Cruz. But not only had he given himself away, he was now screaming loud enough to wake the entire neighbourhood. It was beyond his control, however: Clear’s expertly angled thrusts made him feel like his mind was melting. Breathing heavily, Alucard’s face sank into the bed, unable to remain propped up due to the intense pleasure.</p><p> </p><p>“Is it too much for you?” panted Clear, slowing his trusts.</p><p> </p><p>“M…more,” stuttered out Alucard, hardly able to speak. And Clear obliged, mercilessly pounding deep inside of him until he stained the sheets with his sticky seed.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>The following morning, Alucard awoke to find the spot in the bed beside him empty, along with a note from Clear, explaining that he’d gone to the supermarket to pick up ingredients for breakfast. Now would’ve been the perfect time for him to slip out, unnoticed. But the damage had already been done. Besides, Alucard couldn’t resist the idea of hearing Clear call him by his true name once more. Deciding now would be a good time to wash the sweat from his spent body, Alucard practically limped to the bathroom. But before he could lay his hand on the handle, the door burst open, revealing Soma, his eyes flashing with anger. Before Alucard could get a word of explanation out, Soma pushed past him, pulled on his fluffy fur jacket despite the summer heat and slammed the front door as he left.</p><p> </p><p>Alucard sighed as he pulled his borrowed t-shirt from his body, dropping it on the floor and allowing the cooling water to splash all over his tired body. There was no two ways about it: he had fucked up. Moreover, he’d been fucked good.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>"So, how did step one of the plan go?" demanded Yoko Belnades, pushing a strand of her long blond hair behind her ear before taking a sip of her coffee. The two of them were sitting in a crowded cafe in Ikebukuro, not too far from the host club. Alucard, who was already dressed for work, pulled at his collar uncomfortably. Yoko smirked.</p><p> </p><p>"Let me guess, you slept with Soma," she grinned, leaning back with her arms folded, a triumphant look upon her face. Alucard almost dropped the cup he'd lifted to his lips.</p><p> </p><p>"I-I did not!" he stammered indignantly, feeling his face burning.</p><p> </p><p>"Well, then perhaps you slept with his father?" retorted Yoko. She laughed out loud as Alucard fell silent and placed his palm to his forehead. As Alucard silently brooded over his slip-up, Yoko pulled her tablet out of her bag. She began enthusiastically swiping her fingers across the screen.</p><p> </p><p>"I can't say I'm too surprised to hear that," she chuckled. "You've got a bit of a reputation for this, you know. Sypha Belnades wrote countless entries about your... interactions with Trevor Belmont. And according to this, after sleeping for some time, you jumped out of your coffin and right onto Richter Belmont's dick-"</p><p> </p><p>"Give me that!" shouted Alucard, his face bright red as he snatched the tablet from her. Around them, several people turned to find the source of the noise. But once again, his embarrassment seemed to merely amuse Yoko.</p><p> </p><p>"Alucard, Alucard, this is merely just a copy of what has been written. There's no way I'd carry the originals around with me. A priceless account of yourself and Dracula, dating back over centuries? Don't be ridiculous. I made copies and uploaded it to the cloud, so I could access them from any of my devices. But that's not important. What's important is the plan. Now, I know you were supposed to quietly tail Soma, but I think that ship has sailed. Regardless, that is just a minor setback. If we continue as we discussed earlier..."</p><p> </p><p>Alucard found his mind wandering, his gaze focusing on the fogged window behind Yoko's head. <em>Uploaded to the cloud</em>? Did that mean the details of his previous sexual adventures were written in the sky for all to read? Probably not, but just the idea of it made him somewhat uncomfortable. But he's have to place his own feelings aside: he'd come to Tokyo with the sole purpose of ensuring that Dracula's soul was not resurrected once more. And while he'd managed to get slightly side-tracked, not all hope was lost. And as Yoko stared across the table, seemingly expecting some kind of reaction, he gave a nod and stood up. The next part of the plan was about to unfold. Adjusting his well-fitted suit, he gave Yoko a weak smile before heading towards Glitter Rose the host club.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>